caption | Janine Donoho

Glorious Nature by Janine Donoho

27 Jul 2015 3 Comments

by janinedonoho in A Change of View Tags: bald eagle, black bear, blue grouse, caption, coyote, cub, deer, goshawk, Intrepid Guy, Janine Donoho, kestrel, mountain goat, mountain lion, nature, osprey, red-tail hawk, tom turkey, weasel

Mountain lion in snow

Black bear and cub

Where we choose to live speaks volumes about who we are. That’s especially true of the wildlife sanctuary where Intrepid Guy and I live. After more than a decade in this space, we continue to coexist with the natives.

Weasel, lover of eggs

Except for a few aggressive yellow jackets, no critters have been harmed during this sojourn and, by enhancing our landscape, more have benefited. We minimize disruptive interactions and remain courteous. In retrospect, human exchanges prove much more challenging.

Please enjoy this pictorial view of a few striking critters in our ‘hood.

Red-tail hawk landing

Deer in silhouette

Flock of wild toms

Immoderate Blue Grouse Male

Coyote eyes

Young Kestrel

Mountain goat

Osprey with fish

Goshawk

Bald eagle

Moving toward Grace by Janine Donoho

20 Jul 2015 Leave a comment

by janinedonoho in A Change of View Tags: appreciation, big thanks, caption, DNR, exhaustion, gale force, geraniums, Grace, gratefulness, gratitude, infinite horizon, Intrepid Guy, Janine Donoho, lightning strikes, meditation practice, mentor, microburst, pack, puppy, remission, shakedown cruise, stress, thankfulness, the whine, Viceroy butterfly, wildfires

Bodilicious new pack member.

I suspect we all struggle toward thankfulness when stress and exhaustion overwhelm our intent. During a brief stay on the coast a few weeks ago, a wise friend redirected my tendency—okay, total embrace of the whine—toward appreciation. After restarting my meditation practice a few mornings ago, today I’m advancing toward gratitude.

Shakedown cruise

Last week we combined the shakedown cruise of our new sixteen foot home-on-wheels with expanding our pack by one puppy. Intrepid Guy’s latest labs show great improvement and full remission’s within view. During last night’s microburst of gale force winds, then lightning strikes, we emerged unscathed. Now Department of Natural Resource (DNR) crews are attacking the three wildfires started by strikes.

Lightning flash

Mind you, this is just the big thanks stuff. My gratefulness goes much deeper and has an infinite horizon. Now I close thinking of my geographically distant friend who embodies grace. She’s also a mentor, albeit a continent away—too far for a cuppa. Oddly enough, or perhaps not, her name’s ‘Grace.’ Here’s to you, my friend.

Viceroy butterfly meets geranium

BFFs and Paris in April by Janine Donoho

18 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by janinedonoho in A Change of View Tags: Amalfi Coast, April, backpack, BFFs, caption, Cinque Terre, comfort zone, goat trials, Halley's Comet, hike, Hof Brauhaus, Janine Donoho, mom and pop lodgings, Munchen, Napoli, Northern Lights, Orient Express, Paris, public transportation, Sacre Coeur, Venicia, Washington D.C.

Wherever you go, go with all your heart. – Confucius

Amalfi coast hike

Sacre Coeur in Paris

Magical doesn’t begin to describe my first trip through Europe and here’s why:

best friends on vacation,

free upgrade to business class,

flight out of Washington D.C. at sunset,

Halley’s comet and Northern Lights on display from our plane’s windows, and

Paris at sunrise.

Then we embraced Paris—in April. Hello world…and good-bye comfort zones.

The Orient Express

For a month’s travel, we committed to a backpack each and public transportation while staying at mom-and-pop lodging along our route. The only reservations we made beforehand were for Parisian arrival and departure sleepovers. That’s been my travel mode ever since.

Enjoy this pictorial view of our trip through Europe.

What was your first trip outside your comfort zone? How did that affect you? Do you still travel?